Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Chandpur on 16 May ahead of the monsoon season, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
The meeting on water resources management was held at the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Division office at 10am, the minister said.
Responding to questions from journalists, he said the government’s canal excavation programme is currently ongoing. During the upcoming visits, the prime minister will inaugurate canal excavation activities in both Chandpur and Feni before the monsoon begins.
“The prime minister will go to Chandpur on 16 May. Several programmes are scheduled there, including the inauguration of canal excavation works,” he said, adding that similar activities will also be launched in Feni on 25 May.
The minister noted that the prime minister is prioritising canal excavation initiatives during visits across the country.
He also said the government has undertaken a plan to excavate around 20,000 kilometres of canals nationwide over the next five years. In line with this initiative, the prime minister has already inaugurated canal excavation programmes in several districts.
“All ministers and lawmakers are implementing the programme in their respective areas. As the monsoon season is approaching, the work will continue until May. After the monsoon, the programme will resume again around November, December and January,” he added.
The minister also said it was revealed that technical work, surveys and feasibility studies for the Padma Barrage Project have been nearly completed.
A final decision on the project will be taken soon, he added.
